Celtic Rally Past Besiktas as Substitutes Save Europa League Hopes

Celtic looked set to drop points at Parkhead before a bench-led revival swung their Europa League group match against Besiktas 3-2 in their favour. For most of the first half the Hoops had barely threatened the Turkish side's penalty area, managing only two touches inside it before the break. Besiktas were the more composed team, and after conceding a penalty, Celtic appeared to be heading for a defeat that would have made qualification much harder.

Manager Martin O'Neill then made a triple change just after the hour mark, bringing on Callum Osmand, Camilo Duran and Colby Donovan. The impact was immediate. Osmand levelled the score within a minute of entering the pitch, and the home crowd, which had been quiet for much of the opening period, got right behind the side. Duran's movement through the middle opened up gaps for the players around him, and Celtic pushed forward with a energy they had lacked earlier.

Commentators on the night were quick to pick out the substitutes as the reason for the turnaround. O'Neill admitted afterwards that the result came as a relief, and he praised the character of his players for refusing to fold after the penalty. He also acknowledged that he is still searching for his strongest starting line-up, and that the bench had given him a clear answer about who deserves more minutes.

The win is Celtic's first in the Europa League this season, and it leaves their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds alive. O'Neill's side still have work to do, but a comeback of this kind will do plenty for confidence at a club that has had a difficult European campaign so far. The question now is whether the starters are ready to match the energy that came off the bench.